Beer League Tough Guys

[Funky Cold Luis Medina]

So I'm playing in a league sponsored by the team I work for. So far, my team (the green team) is 3-0 on the year. This past week, we played against the black team, beating them 8-7.

The black team has this ass playing for them who decides he wants to be Mr. Big Tough Guy. He's hacking everyone, cross-checking anyone who gets within ten feet of the net, wrestling our guys down if they dare respond to his cheap crap. Best of all, the guy could afford to lose about 70 pounds, can't skate worth a damn, and has fewer points than I do (which is something, considering I thought I was the biggest scrub out there).

Now he knows I have a reputation as one who won't take this kind of crap, so anytime we were on the ice together, he was pretty quiet. Fast forward to last night. Every Sunday night, we have open hockey, anyone who wants to play can show up and get out on the ice for $7. I'm on the dark team, he's on the light team.

About halfway through the game, he pulls his same crap, cross-checking our guy in the back in front of the net. This time, I was actually on the ice, right by him for that matter, so I did it right back to him.

So the guy starts immediately whining about getting hit from behind. Go figure. I asked him if he was so worried about getting hit from behind, then why is he doing it to everyone else, and that if he wanted to settle it, we could drop the gloves right then and there. I get to play in the league for free, I could give a damn if they kick me out for it (which they do if you get in a fight). He keeps on running his mouth while skating away. I'm not sure exactly what he said, as his four chins were impeding his speech, and besides, I'm not that fluent in cement.

So, any other beer leaguers out there got experience with these types? And what do you do about them? Do I go out there and challenge him again this week if he keeps trying it?

[skatingtripods]

So, any other beer leaguers out there got experience with these types? And what do you do about them? Do I go out there and challenge him again this week if he keeps trying it?

Well, considering it's just open pickup hockey, you could just talk to the person who runs it. There's no reason for anyone to get hurt when they're probably signing a waiver that doesn't hold the rink responsible.

Obviously, this clown's a cheap shot artist. I don't play with any per se, but we do have a guy that does a lot of hooking and doesn't skate hard. You just have to let that go.

But, if this guy's cross checking people and there's no one that is running the open hockey and collecting the money, then challenge him. If he doesn't want to do that, then give the cross checking back to him. You have to let that guy know that it won't be tolerated in open hockey.

[Funky Cold Luis Medina]

The guy running the league knows about him, even plays on his team in the league games so he saw it all happen. He actually told him to cut the crap last week, but it went in one ear and out the other.

[skatingtripods]

The guy running the league knows about him, even plays on his team in the league games so he saw it all happen. He actually told him to cut the crap last week, but it went in one ear and out the other.

I really haven't encountered any real assholes like that. I hear lots of locker room stories about other leagues where there are guys like that. But, mostly, they just shake guys like that off and let them be dicks to everyone.

Unless he hits you in a dangerous way, I wouldn't worry about it, especially if the guy who runs the league isn't going to do anything productive to handle it.

I know I don't wear my shoulder pads during open hockey, just stay fully protected if you're playing with guys like that.